


Blind

by Moit



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-01-16
Updated: 2012-08-29
Packaged: 2018-05-02 21:18:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5263955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moit/pseuds/Moit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

How it happened was anyone’s guess. Why wasn’t anyone paying attention? An even better question was: How did the guy get past security?

It all happened so fast. A flick of the wrist and Elijah was clutching his face screaming bloody murder. There wasn’t any blood, but the on-set medics had to sedate him until the ambulance showed up because nobody knew what else to do. By some miracle, the medics at least knew not to put water on the burns. By some other miracle, the culprit just stood idly by while Security took him into custody.

Elijah spent two days in a drug-induced coma before the doctors would allow him to sleep normally. And that was after a 12-hour surgery. Debbie and Hannah were by Elijah’s bedside for as long as visiting hours would allow. He woke up the following day while Hannah was getting coffee.

“Elijah, honey, it’s Mom. Can you hear me?”

“Mom?” Elijah said, his tone sounding slightly panicked. “I . . . I can’t see you.”

Debbie took his hand, cradling it in both of her own. “Elijah, honey, you’re going to be okay—”

“Goddammit, Mom! Don’t lie to me! What’s _wrong_?”

“Elijah,” Debbie lowered her voice. “They’ll sedate you if you become irate, so I need you to just relax and listen to me. Can you do that, baby?”

Elijah was quiet for a moment. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Mom. Just tell me.”

“The doctors say . . . Elijah, you’re not going to see again. You’ve been declared irreversibly blind.”

Elijah was silent. He rolled over away from Debbie towards the wall. “Mom, can you leave me alone for a little while?”

“Elijah, Dom—”

“Please, Mom!”

Elijah’s tone was both serious and sad. Debbie patted his shoulder gently and walked out of the room.

As luck would have it, she ran into both Hannah and Dom in the hall.

“How is he?” Dom asked anxiously.

“He’s awake . . .” Debbie started, and Dom tried to move around her to get to Elijah’s room. “Dominic, he needs some time, honey. Why don’t you come with us back to the house and get some rest. You’ve had a long flight and I’m sure you’re exhausted. We’ll go home and have some dinner . . . get some rest and come back in the morning.”

Dom was crestfallen, but he had no other choice. He followed Debbie out to the car, taking Hannah’s hand for a modicum of support.

“How was your flight?” Hannah asked softly.

“Hell,” Dom replied. “After I got the call from your mom, I got the first available flight out of London, but between the flight to New York and then to LAX and customs . . . and of course worrying about Elijah, I haven’t exactly been a very happy camper.”

“Mom and I have been just out of our minds. I don’t think Mom actually slept until they took Elijah off enough of the drugs to let him sleep normally. He,” Hannah paused, turning her head to wipe her eyes. “He’s blind, Dom.”

“I know,” Dom replied, releasing Hannah’s hand to put an arm around her shoulders. “But he’s still Elijah. Nothing is going to change that.”

When they got back to the house, Dom insisted on making dinner.

“I’m still wound up from my trip. Please, just let me,” he said.

But after everything was cleaned up, Dom retired. He collapsed face-first on the bed in the guesthouse, inhaling the scent of Elijah as tears stung his eyes. Despite his grief, he was asleep in minutes.

The next morning, Dom was up with the sun. He had coffee ready in the main house when Hannah and Debbie came down. He even offered to drive them all back to the hospital. Anything to keep his mind off the impending reunion with his boyfriend.

The nurse was leaving Elijah’s room as the arrived. She touched Dom’s gently. “He was asking for you.”

Dom glanced at Hannah and Debbie, who urged him to go in alone. Taking a deep breath, Dom walked softly into the room, though his footfalls were loud on the hard floor.

“Hello?” Elijah called out. “Who’s there?”

He looked so small and scared to Dom’s eyes. The hospital blankets were sterile white and the gown Elijah wore was hospital-issue. In his hand, Dom clutched Elijah’s favourite pair of pajamas. Elijah was hooked to an IV. Gauze pads, tape, and what looked like clear plastic half-circles, presumably to keep him from rubbing or otherwise jarring his wounded eyes.

“Dom,” he said, but his voice sounded small and hoarse to his own ears. He cleared his throat and repeated, “It’s Dom.”

“Dom?” Elijah said, turning his face to Dom’s voice. He held out a hand searchingly.

Dom crossed the room and set the pajamas down took Elijah’s hand. He raised it to his lips and placed a kiss on the knuckles. “I’m here.”

“I can’t see you, Dom,” Elijah said, his voice breaking. “I—I can’t cry, either. But I want to. I really want to right now.”

“Don’t cry, baby. It’s me. I’m here.” Dom placed Elijah’s palm against his cheek. He knew it was the only way Elijah would be able to “see” him and he wanted to offer as much comfort as he could.

Elijah’s hand fumbled over the contours of Dom’s face, remembering the lines of his nose and cheekbones and the bristle of his beard and eyebrows. His fingertips traced over Dom’s lips and stilled.

“They said I could go home as soon as I was ready. They’re going to give me plenty of dope and require that I come in for regular check-ups. But for the most part, it’s just re-learning how to take care of myself without my sight.” His voice held contempt, but Dom couldn’t really make out his expression with the bandages covering half of his face.

“Well, then let’s get you checked out. We can take care of you, your mom Hannah and I. It’s not going to be—”

“It’s not going to be the same, Dominic!” he shouted, snatching his hand away from Dom’s mouth.

Dom remained silent. He’d known this was coming, and it was better that Elijah express his emotions rather than keep them bottled up.

“I don’t want to have to rely on you guys forever. I need my independence.”

“So we’ll get you a seeing-eye dog,” Dom said with a shrug. “Doodle, what ever you need we’ll work it out.”

Elijah opened his mouth and then closed it with a snap. “Can you start the paperwork to get me out of here, then? I’m awake and more than ready to go home.”

“All right. I’ll go get your mom so she can start filling out paperwork. More than likely the doctor will want to see you again before you go. Do you want me to come back?”

“Actually, could you send Hannah in?”

“Of course,” Dom replied, trying not to feel resentful or let the frustration creep into his voice. “I, uh, I brought your pajamas, too. I wasn’t sure how long you’d be here, but I guess you can wear them out instead of sleeping in them. Do you want me to help you put them on . . .”

“No.” Elijah’s reply was sharp and clipped. “Just send Hannah in. Leave the pajamas.”

Dom turned and strode out of the room before the tears could escape. He didn’t want Elijah to see— _hear_ , he reminded himself—him cry.

“Dom?” Debbie asked, standing up.

But Dom just shook his head. “Hannah, Elijah wants you. He’s ready to go home, Debbie, if you can find a nurse to start filling out his discharge paperwork. I need some fresh air.”

Dom stepped out of the hospital’s revolving door, taking great gulps of the Los Angeles air. It wasn’t known for its cleanliness, but it was a hell of a lot better than the stuffy hospital. He noticed his hands were shaking and shoved them in his pockets. Truthfully, he hadn’t been calm since he’d gotten the hysterical phone call from Debbie telling him that Elijah had been attacked on set. Filming had been suspended indefinitely and Dom didn’t even want to think about what was to come legally. Right now, he just wanted to focus on Elijah and his health.

When he got back up to Elijah’s floor, Hannah was standing in the doorway of Elijah’s room. Inside Dom could see Debbie speaking with the doctor. Elijah sat on the bed listening. He was dressed in the pajamas Dom brought.

“He’s almost ready to go,” Hannah supplied. “Mom got his paperwork filled out and the doctor’s just going over some last minute instructions.”

“Mmm,” Dom murmured in reply.

“He’ll be okay, Dom,” Hannah said, placing her hand on his arm.

“He doesn’t want me here anymore, Hannah.”

“Why would you think that? Why would you _say_ that? He loves you. He needs you now more than ever.”

“Then why did he ask for you to help him get dressed instead of me?”

“Dom, you’re being petty. I haven’t talked to him since he woke up, remember? I’m sure he just wanted to know that I was here. It had nothing to do with you.”

“Of course,” Dom huffed.

“Seriously—what the hell is your problem all of a sudden? Elijah is my brother. How would you feel if it was Matt in there?”

“How would you feel if it was your boyfriend in there?”

“The same as I do now. So quit acting like a cunt. We’re all upset.”

The doctor exiting the room cut off Dom’s reply. Debbie followed with Elijah clutching her arm like his last lifeline. Dom could see that the bandages over his eyes had been changed. Debbie handed Hannah a bag of supplies, presumably more bandages.

“Elijah, do you need—”

But Elijah cut him off. “My mom’s got me, Dom.”

Dom clenched his teeth and made a noise of affirmation. He resisted the strong urge to give Hannah a pointed look and followed Elijah and his family out of the hospital.

TBC


	2. Blind - 2/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 2/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash, violence  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 1874  
Previous Chapter [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

Debbie and Hannah settled Elijah in the main house while Dom grabbed some of their things from the guesthouse. They had all agreed that it would be easier to have Elijah in the main house, lest something happen when Dom wasn’t around. Dom was the only one who put up a fight, but it had been Elijah who made the final decision.

As it was, Dom was in the guesthouse hastily throwing clothes and toiletries into a bag. He also grabbed Elijah’s iPod (something he absolutely would not live without) as well as a couple extra packs of cigarettes. No doubt he was dying for one.

Dom took one last look around the room and hefted the bag onto his shoulder. He let himself into the main house and walked down the hall to the spare room in which he knew Debbie and Hannah set Elijah into. Surprisingly, Elijah was alone in the room, sitting in the middle of the bed.

“Dom?” he called tentatively, face turning to the sound of someone else in the room.

“It’s me,” Dom said, setting the bag down. “I’ve brought some clothes, toothbrushes, your contact case . . .” the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. Dom stopped abruptly, staring at Elijah, waiting for the blow.

“It’s okay, Dom. Honest mistake. Thanks for thinking of me, at least.”

“Yeah.” Of course Dom was thinking of him, but apparently not well enough. “I’ve got your iPod, too. I know you’re completely lost without it.”

He dug the music player out of the bag and set it in Elijah’s open palm.

Elijah hefted the weight of it and turned it over several times, relearning the memory with his hands. “I can’t see the screen,” he said finally.

Dom could practically _feel_ his heart breaking. Two strikes, Monaghan. How did you expect him to use something that requires sight? He cleared his throat, trying not to sound like his voice was breaking. “I could read it off for you. I mean, you know most of what you have on there, right? Or I could just put it on shuffle. That should be easy enough to maneuver.”

“I guess,” Elijah said softly, and set the iPod on the bed next to him.

Dom rocked nervously back onto his heels. Conversation between them had never been so strained. “Are you comfortable? Can I get you anything?”

“I’m okay.” He leaned his head back against the headboard. “My mom gave me a vicodin before you came in, so it should be kicking in soon.”

“I’ll uh, let you get some sleep then.”

“Dom, you don’t have to leave. I’m not asleep yet.”

Dom turned back to face Elijah. He bit distractedly at his thumbnail. Nail biting was Elijah’s habit, not his, but right now, it seemed like the thing to do.

“Do I disgust you now?”

The question caught Dom off guard. “What? No, of course not. Why would you think that?” He wished fervently he could see more of the expression on Elijah’s face.

“I would completely understand if you wanted to leave. I don’t want you to feel obligated to stay with me because I’m disfigured now.”

“Elijah, what are you saying? What—do you _want_ me to leave?”

“No!” Elijah’s hands twisted and untwisted in his lap. “No, I just don’t want you to stay if this isn’t where you want to be.”

Dom sat down on the bed carefully. “Elijah.” He took one of Elijah’s hands in both of his, and placed it flat against his chest. “Can you feel my heartbeat?”

A thick swallow rolled down Elijah’s throat. “Yeah.”

“That means I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere unless you ask me to.” He drew Elijah forward until the younger man was wrapped around him. Dom dropped a kiss down on the top of Elijah’s head. “You need a bath,” he said suddenly.

Elijah coughed out a laugh against his chest. “Yeah, well, between a medically-induced coma and a 12 hour surgery, I haven’t exactly had time.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing I love you anyway.”

“Mmm.” Elijah gave a wide yawn. “Vicodin’s kicking in.”

Dom shifted them down the bed so they were back-to-front with Dom’s arm wrapped tightly around Elijah’s middle, the way they usually slept.

“I’ll just stay until you fall asleep, yeah?”

“‘kay,” Elijah said softly, already giving in to the effects of the drug.

It didn’t take long.

Dom brushed a lock of hair off Elijah’s cheek, mindful of the bandages, and placed a soft kiss there. He was dying to know what Elijah looked like beneath the gauze, but that would be for him to reveal in his own time. For now, Dom eased out of the bed and left Elijah sleeping peacefully as he slipped out the door.

Dom found Debbie and Hannah in the kitchen, each with a cup of coffee.

“I was wondering where you two had gone.”

“We figured you would like some time alone with Elijah,” Debbie said, as Dom joined them at the table with his own cup of coffee. He preferred tea, but coffee was good in its place.

“I don’t even know what to say right now. It’s like one minute everything was fine. I hadn’t planned to be in Manchester long, and all of a sudden Elijah’s been attacked . . .”

“Dom, you know it’s not your fault.”

Dom nodded morosely. “I guess I feel like if I pin the guilt on myself, then I won’t have to face the idea that there’s actually someone to blame. Did they release the name of the guy who did it, anyway?”

“Someone by the name of John Smith—yes that’s his birth name—who had no connection with the studio or with Elijah. So far the police haven’t found anything that would point to an obsession or stalking. It seems unbelievable, but they really don’t have any idea why he would have attacked Elijah.”

“Fucking bastard should be dead,” Hannah added across the table.

“ _Hannah_.”

“What, mom? You know it’s true. Elijah’s fucking blind because some guy got it in his head that it was a good idea to throw acid in my brother’s _face_. Sorry if I’ve got an _attitude_ over that.”

Dom reached across the table and squeezed Hannah’s hand gently. They were all aching and raw with nerves. Even Debbie, who was usually such a source of calm was on edge. She was barely managing to keep it together for Dom and Hannah.

*

“Mom?”

Dom appeared in the doorway to Elijah’s new room. “I’m here, love.”

Elijah wrinkled his nose. “I said _Mom_ , not _Dom_.” His voice held a bit too much force and Dom felt the sting.

“I’ll . . . go get her for you.”

Elijah sighed deeply. “No, you’ll do, I guess.”

Dom’s mouth fell open in shock. “Well, don’t let me burden you. I’ll go get Debbie.”

“No, Dom, it’s—”

But Elijah could already hear Dom’s retreating footsteps.

A few minutes later, different footsteps approached. “It’s Mom, honey. Dom said you needed me?”

Elijah carefully eased himself out of the bed and stood up, feeling about his surroundings with his hands. “It’s got to be time to change my bandages. They’re starting to feel dry.”

“We’re an hour early, but it’s okay, if your eyes feel dry.”

Elijah nodded, fingering the bandages over his eyes.

Debbie crossed the room and took Elijah firmly by the arm and led him to the bathroom.

*

As expected, Elijah retired to the bedroom first that night. He was up for a while talking to Debbie and Hannah while Dom fretted about nervously. One could have confused Dom for Elijah’s mother. He was constantly worried that Elijah was going to run into something and hurt himself, but Debbie sat back just the way she did when Elijah was a toddler. He might hurt himself, but he would never learn if he didn’t get the chance to try. Dom backed off a bit after that.

So when Dom shut the bedroom door behind himself, he never expected Elijah to roll over and face him, though he couldn’t see him.

“Dom?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Dom shucked his jeans and tee shirt, leaving himself in only his boxers. He normally slept nude, but considering the circumstances, he wasn’t sure it would be the best bet.

“Could you turn off the light before you get into bed?”

A strange request, but not a difficult one. Dom flipped the switch off. “Okay.”

“Okay you’re going to turn it off or okay you did turn it off?”

“I did.” Dom flicked the switch on and back off in the hopes that Elijah could hear the small _flick_.

“Did what? Which one? Is the light on or off?”

Dom flicked the switch again. “It’s off.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” Dom was starting to get exasperated. “Did you not hear me flick it off and an on? It’s off.”

“Sorry,” Elijah said, his voice small. He rolled over so that he was facing away from Dom again.

Wordlessly, Dom crossed the room and slid under the blankets on the other side of the bed. “Baby?”

No answer.

“Elijah?”

A sigh. “What, Dom?”

Dom lifted himself up onto his elbow. “Are you upset? About the light?”

“No, forget it. Just go to sleep. I’m tired.”

Though he wanted to sigh in annoyance, Dom just laid back down. He scooted a bit closer, and hearing no resistance, wrapped an arm around Elijah’s waist. The other man was tense, but he didn’t tell Dom to move. But when Dom moved closer and placed a kiss at the base of Elijah’s neck, Elijah jerked away as if he’d been burnt.

“What?” Dom asked, pulling away, staring at Elijah even though he couldn’t see him. They were on equal footing now.

Elijah rolled onto his back, face turned towards Dom’s voice. “I’m not ready to do that yet.”

“Do what?” Dom couldn’t keep the confusion from his voice. “I wasn’t trying for sex—I just wanted to give you a goodnight kiss.”

“Well, I’m not ready for that yet.”

Dom shifted up onto his elbow again. “You’re not ready for me to kiss you? What… what?”

“There is no ‘what.’ That’s all.”

“That doesn’t even make sense. Elijah . . . you weren’t . . . raped. What’s the big deal?”

“Well, I might as well have been.” Elijah’s voice was cold. “If you don’t like it, then you can go sleep in the other guest room.”

“Baby,” Dom tried again, placing a hand on his arm, but Elijah shrugged it off.

“Just leave me alone, okay? If you want to cuddle, that’s fine, but . . . just don’t try to kiss me. Not yet. Please.”

Dom rolled his eyes and turned over. If Elijah didn’t want to kiss him, then he wouldn’t bother cuddling either. He probably should have worn sweatpants to bed.

So lost was Dom in his own thoughts that he never heard Elijah’s sigh or his silent wish, again, that he could cry. He had to substitute tears for the blood rushing to his face and his throat swelling with emotion.


	3. Blind - 3/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra speshul thanks to my ever-patient beta, [](http://honeyandvinegar.livejournal.com/profile)[honeyandvinegar](http://honeyandvinegar.livejournal.com/). I'm still not totally certain this is where I want it to be, but it's been written for about 2 weeks, so it's time to post.

Title: Blind - 3/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash, violence  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 1784  
Author's note: Extra speshul thanks to my ever-patient beta, [](http://honeyandvinegar.livejournal.com/profile)[**honeyandvinegar**](http://honeyandvinegar.livejournal.com/). I'm still not totally certain this is where I want it to be, but it's been written for about 2 weeks, so it's time to post.  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

Elijah had been gradually acclimating himself to the use of a walking stick to navigate the semi-familiar planes of the house. He’d also asked his mother to procure for him a dark pair of sunglasses. The bandages still covered his eyes, but he wanted to wear the sunglasses, both for when the bandages came off, but also because he was so used to wearing glasses that it gave him a sense of security. If nobody could see the bandages, he felt less self-conscious, even around his family.  
  
However, it seemed like Dom was taking Elijah’s blindness harder than Elijah was. He was always too quick to help Elijah up from the table or tell him if something was in his path. But the “assistance” was grating on Elijah’s nerves.  
  
“Babe, watch out, the couch is just to your left.”  
  
“I _know_ , Dominic. I’ve lived in this house a lot longer than you have. I’m not going to trip over the couch.” He tapped the tip of his walking stick against the wooden floor in front of the couch in an angry tattoo.  
  
Dom held up his hands in defense. “I’m just trying to help.”  
  
Elijah rounded on the sound of his voice. “I’m really fucking sick of you just _conveniently_ ‘trying to help,’ when all you’re doing is getting in my way. I’m _this close_ to just moving to the guest house _alone_!” Elijah turned on his heel and tapped his way out of the room as quickly and as steadily as he could.  
  
Dom remained on the couch in shocked silence.  
  
Life certainly hadn’t been easy. Nights were the worst. They’d lay side by side in silence, the curtain of night choking them like a thick blanket. If Elijah had a good day, he’d let Dom spoon him, but if it was a bad day, Dom might spend the night on the couch.  
  
Elijah pulled open the sliding glass door that led to the patio and slammed it shut behind him. From the visible half of Elijah’s face, Hannah and Debbie could tell he was angry.

“Elijah? Is everything okay?” Debbie asked gently.

“Perfectly fine,” Elijah snapped back.

Several tense moments later, Dom stepped out onto the patio with his carryall in hand. He gave everyone a quick glance and started off down the path.  
  
“Where do you think you’re going?” Hannah called.  
  
Dom turned to her without stopping, his face blank. “I’m gonna sleep in the guesthouse for a bit.” He didn’t offer any explanation, and nobody asked.

 

  
“He better fucking stay there because he sure as hell doesn’t want to be around me now,” Elijah growled as the sound of Dom’s footsteps faded away.  
  
“Elijah, what happened?” Hannah asked.  
  
Elijah sighed and sank deeper into his chair. Even the feeling of the warm Los Angeles sunshine on his face did nothing to curb his anger.  
  
“We’re just not getting along right now. Dom expects me to either get over what happened to me or to rely on him like I’m some invalid. I snapped at him a bit ago and now he’s mad.” Elijah shrugged. “Honestly, I could give a fuck.” He patted his pockets and frowned. “Mom, where’d you put my cigarettes?”  
  
“Elijah, I really wish you wouldn’t do that,” Debbie sighed.  
  
“Yeah, and I really wish I wasn’t blind. Han?” he held his hand out expectantly.  
  
Hannah lit a cigarette for her brother and set the butt between his fingers.  
  
Elijah raised the cigarette to his lips and took a deep drag. “If losing my eyesight didn’t kill me, then smoking cloves sure as hell won’t. But if my life is in such a precarious position, maybe I should stop smoking. And give up coffee, too. Hell, why don’t I just turn vegetarian while I’m at it?”  
  
“Are you gonna go talk to Dom?” Hannah asked, changing the subject.  
  
Elijah shook his head and took another drag. “Fuck no. If he wants to play Miss Pissy Pants, let him. I have enough shit to deal with right now.”  
  
“The bandages come off tomorrow, did I tell you that?” Debbie asked mildly.  
  
“Okay,” Elijah replied, shrugging one shoulder.  
  
“You’re nervous,” Hannah said.  
  
“Well, it’s not like I’ll see what I look like, so it doesn’t really matter to me.” Elijah finished his cigarette and snuffed it out on the ashtray in his lap. He handed the ashtray to Hannah and stood up. “I’m gonna go lay down. The vicodin is starting to kick in.” He walked back into the silent house, leaving his family behind.  
  
*  
  
Hannah knocked quickly before opening the door. “Dom?” she called out softly. The guesthouse wasn’t very big, but she didn’t want to surprise Dom, either.  
  
“In here!” Dom called.  
  
Hannah walked through the living room into the kitchen. She found Dom doing a crossword puzzle at the kitchen table. He put the pen down and gave her a half-smile.  
  
“Good morning, Miss Wood. To what do I owe the pleasure?”  
  
Hannah sat down in a chair opposite Dom. “You didn’t need to run all the way down here, you know. Elijah isn’t going to beat you or anything.”  
  
“I just wanted some time alone,” Dom said, looking back down at the crossword.  
  
“By pushing him away?”  
  
“I did not push. I’m the one down here, not him.”  
  
“Okay, fine, self-exile then. Either way, it’s not healthy for your relationship and it’s not going to fix anything.”  
  
“Funny, that. I didn’t know you had a degree in psychology.”  
  
“Dom, you’re being an asshole.”  
  
“Yeah? And you’re being a nosy bitch. We’re even.”  
  
“Well, I’m not leaving,” Hannah said, obstinately crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back in the chair.  
  
“I don’t care. Just be quiet so I can work this puzzle. Number two down, ‘Item held by an actor.’ Hmm.”  
  
Hannah glared at him. “It’s called a prop, or have you forgotten?”  
  
Dom made a noncommittal noise and penciled the answer in.  
  
Hannah watched him pencil four more answers in before she broke. “Maybe you should just go back to Manchester.” She watched him steadily for his reaction.  
  
Dom set his pencil and puzzle down and looked up at her, his eyebrows knitted in thought. “Yeah? Maybe I should. I’m sure Elijah would appreciate a change of scenery, anyway.”  
  
“No, not him. Just you. I don’t think you belong here, anymore, Dominic.”  
  
Dom stared at her for a long minute, then he blinked his gaze down to his lap. “You mean, that, don’t you?” His voice was soft, and when he looked back up, Hannah could see the tears in his eyes.  
  
“Oh, Dom!” She hadn’t meant to make him cry, just probe him a bit to find out what was going on in that bleached-blond head of his. Hannah stood up and wrapped her arms around Dom. His hands went around her waist, and he allowed himself to cry against her body.  
  
Hannah rested her cheek against the top of Dom’s head, rubbing his back gently as he released the frustration and anger and guilt he’d been harboring since Elijah’s accident. As his sobs gradually subsided, he pulled away from the wet fabric of Hannah’s shirt and looked up at her. She wiped at his tears with her thumbs.  
  
“Feel better?” she asked.  
  
Dom nodded. He reached up and swept a lock of hair that had escaped its clip off Hannah’s forehead. “You look so much like your brother,” he said softly. Then before he could stop himself, Dom tilted his chin up and kissed her.  
  
The kiss was over as soon as it began, Hannah pulling away and smacking Dom firmly across the cheek. “Dominic!”  
  
Wincing, Dom put a hand to his cheek. “I deserved that.”  
  
“Damn right you did!” Hannah stared at him in disbelief. “Dom, what the _hell_ has gotten in to you?”  
  
Dom shook his head. “My mind’s all over the map—I wish I could give you a better reason than Elijah, because that’s not fair to anyone. But I can’t get my mind in the right place because I can’t fix him. It’s rotten, but I don’t have a solution.”  
  
“Well, my mom made a suggestion about Elijah, and I think maybe it would help you, too.”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“I think you and Elijah separately, or maybe as a couple, or maybe both . . . I think you guys should see a psychiatrist. Maybe it will help you deal with what happened.”  
  
“It’s worth a try,” Dom shrugged. “We’re not getting anywhere like this. But I don’t think Elijah will go for it.”  
  
“I think he might,” Hannah said, sitting back down. “Maybe he’d feel more confident if you were there with him. Maybe . . . maybe he’d want to move back down here with you.”  
  
Dom let out a humourless laugh. “I don’t think anything is going to make him move back down here with me.”  
  
“Okay, well, let’s just see how therapy works out first.”  
  
*  
  
“No.”  
  
“Elijah—”  
  
“No.”  
  
“You haven’t even—”  
  
“I said ‘no.’”  
  
Debbie sighed. “Why?”  
  
“I don’t need therapy. End of story.”  
  
“Well, if everything is fine, I’ll help you move down to the guesthouse with Dom tomorrow after your doctor’s appointment.”  
  
“Wait, mom, no. I’m—I’m not moving down there. What are you talking about?”  
  
“Well, you said you don’t need therapy, so that would lead me to believe that you’re well enough to live with your boyfriend. You shouldn’t be up here with me.”  
  
“Mom,” Elijah groaned and put his head down on the table. “You’re not going to let up until I agree, are you?”  
  
“One session, Elijah, that’s all I’m asking. And you can take Dom with you, if you want.”  
  
“Fine,” Elijah sighed. “ _One_ session. If I totally hate the shrink, I’m not going back. And if Dom can’t go with me, I’m not going. I won’t go alone.”  
  
“Anything you want. Just promise me you’ll go.”  
  
Elijah nodded.  
  
Seeing her son like this was breaking Debbie’s heart, and it wasn’t just that he’d lost his sight. They’d been through tough times before, but it had never affected Elijah so deeply on an emotional level before. “Do you want to talk about it, baby?”  
  
“Not really,” Elijah replied shaking his head.  
  
“Are you mad at Dom for moving back down to the guesthouse?”  
  
“No. . . . Truthfully, I’m relieved. I don’t feel like I have to be ‘on’ all the time if he’s not around.”  
  
“You feel like you have to keep up a front for Dom?”  
  
Elijah shrugged again. “Kinda.”  
  
When he didn’t continue, Debbie didn’t push. Hopefully he’d get it out in front of the psychiatrist sooner rather than later.


	4. Blind - 4/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 4/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash, violence  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 2144  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

Hospitals always gave Elijah the creeps, ever since he was little. They had once flown back to Cedar Rapids to see their ailing grandmother. Elijah was so petrified by all the tubes and machines hooked up to her that he’d run screaming from the room. Zach had to sit with him in the waiting room until Debbie and Hannah were finished visiting. After that, Debbie never tried to take Elijah to the hospital unless it was necessary.

To get his bandages removed, Elijah only had to visit the family practice clinic, but in his opinion, it might as well have been a hospital. The only real difference between a hospital and a clinic, in Elijah’s mind, was that in a hospital, there were dead people beneath the floors, down in the morgue. Otherwise, the doctors and nurses still approached patients with silver instruments and sharp needles.

Elijah’s heart pounded as the nurse began removing the bandages. When she finished, she stepped back, regarding Elijah carefully.

“How does that feel?” she asked.

Elijah blinked owlishly up at her with sightless eyes. “My eyes feel really dry, but I can’t see anything, not even shapes. Will I always be like this? Is there any chance I’ll get my sight back?”

“All I can say with any degree of certainty is that it may be too early to tell.” The nurse glanced nervously at Debbie. “I’ll go get the doctor.” Her rubber shoes were almost silent on the sterile white Formica. When she shut the door, it felt like she’d taken all of the air in the room with her.

Debbie glanced around nervously at diagrams of the human esophagus, respiratory systems, and muscle groups. Photos Elijah couldn’t see.

“Mom?” Elijah asked, as though sensing her thoughts.

But the entrance of the doctor interrupted anything Debbie was about to say. “Elijah,” he said, walking across the hard floor. “How are you today?”

“I’ve had better days,” Elijah replied.

“Assuredly. I’m just going to take a look at your eyes to see what we’re working with.”

Elijah was silent as the doctor checked his eyes, one at a time, peeling the lids open to look inside. Debbie could practically see the storm brewing and for that she hoped they would be done soon.

“Well, I don’t see anything past the initial damage. Your nerves seem to be responding better than I had hoped, but it doesn’t look like your tear ducts have had the same progress. Are you feeling any pain?”

“Sometimes, but it doesn’t last as long as before. Mostly my eyes are just really dry and sometimes my eyelids start to stick.”

Thankfully, they were released in a timely fashion with a prescription and an appointment for another follow-up in a month.

Despite Debbie’s attempts to engage Elijah in conversation, he remained sullen and quiet. They stopped by the pharmacy to get his prescription filled. Elijah elected to stay in the car, his sunglasses firmly in place.

A knock on the window startled him and he rolled down the window, assuming it was his mother.

“Can I get your autograph?” was certainly not what he expected to hear.

Though his heart began to hammer against his ribcage, he was never one to turn down a fan. “Sure,” he said, tilting his face up and holding his hands out. By sense of touch, he scrawled his name on what he assumed was a copy of The Lord of the Rings. He flashed a trademark smile and the fan was gone.

The insurmountable terror at the thought of being at someone’s mercy began to recede. This time it was harmless, but since the accident, he’d become hyper-aware of the people around him. He’d had enough strangers accost him for an autograph, to read a script, and nearly everything in between. Now, however, the threat of someone hurting him was even more severe.

Elijah nearly jumped out of his skin when Debbie opened the driver’s-side door. “Mom?” he called. His voice was trembling, but he had to be sure.

“What’s wrong?” Debbie asked, placing a hand on Elijah’s shoulder.

“Nothing,” he said, relaxing under his mother’s touch and the sound of her voice. “Did you get my eye drops?”

“Yes.” She placed a pharmacy bag on Elijah’s lap. He dug the bottle out and fumbled it open. He tilted his head back and set the nozzle into the corner of his eye.

“That . . . is nice,” he said, blinking and tilting his head forward again.

“That good?”

“Fucking awesome. This stuff is really nice. It just lays on my eyes like a gel. Score one for dry eye combat.”

Debbie smiled. It was nice to see her son happy about _something_ in his life.

*

“Well?” Hannah asked expectantly, standing on tiptoe in an attempt to see beneath Elijah’s sunglasses.

Elijah, feeling her presence, turned his head away. “Stop. I’ll show you when I’m ready.”

“No need to get grouchy,” Hannah snapped back. “I was just curious.”

“Where’s Dominic?” Elijah asked, tilting his head to listen for Dom’s voice or the sound of his footsteps.

“He’s still down at the guesthouse . . .”

Before Hannah could finish her sentence, Elijah was tapping his way to the back door. He made his way down the path. Already he could tell that his other senses were making up for his lack of sight. When he first had his accident, he thought that both his career and his life were over. If he couldn’t see, he couldn’t act. And if he couldn’t act, then there wasn’t a point to his life, anymore. His secondary thought was that his life with Dom was over. How could such a rising star saddle himself with a disabled boyfriend? They hadn’t even come out as a couple yet. In Elijah’s heart, he knew it was only a matter of time before Dom moved out.

“Fancy seeing you here.” Dom didn’t bother getting up. He watched as Elijah pulled out a kitchen chair without incident and sat down next to him. “How was your appointment?”

Elijah shrugged. “Got some eye drops. That’s the long and the short of it. I don’t have to wear the gauze anymore which is a fucking relief.”

“Brilliant.”

An awkward silence spread between them like the tender threads of their already strained relationship. Then they both opened their mouths to speak:

“Dom, I—”

“I’ve got some news—”

They both stopped.

“Go ahead,” Dom said, with a sweeping gesture of his hand.

“No, you go. I didn’t really have anything to say.”

“Remember that show I auditioned for? LOST?”

Elijah nodded.

“I got a call today. I got the part of Sawyer.”

“Dom, that’s fantastic!” Elijah said, jumping up from the table. He had to feel a bit for Dom’s body to give him a hug. Neither man wanted to admit how good it felt to be close again.

Reluctantly, Dom released Elijah and sat back down. “There is one glitch, though.”

“You’re not going to take the part?”

“They’re filming it in Hawaii and they want me there next week to start running scripts.”

Elijah remained completely unfazed. “So what are you waiting for? You can’t pass up an opportunity like this! Dom, that part was _made_ for you. This is a co-starring role! Next thing you know, you’ll be playing lead in proper films. If you pass this up, I will personally drag your ass to Hawaii.”

“I want you to come with me,” Dom replied in a rush. At Elijah’s open-mouthed look of surprise, he continued with the same energy. “You can’t just sit around here all day with Debbie and Hannah. Come with me. Maybe they can write a part for you—there’s a really good chance that a blind man could be on an island full of plane crash survivors. It’s just the thing you need to get you back in the saddle.”

“Dom . . .” Elijah rubbed at his eyes behind the sunglasses as though they were paining him. “I don’t think I’m ready.”

“For what? To move to Hawaii with me? Or to continue your career?”

“Both! Hell, there are times when I don’t even want to get out of bed in the morning. I’m just now getting used to . . . being like this. How am I possibly going to make it work without my mom and Hannah around? Am I just going to sit around the house while you’re on set all day? Gee, Dom, that sounds fucking brilliant. Why _don’t_ I move to a topical island that _I can’t see_?”

“You know what? Fucking forget it. It was just a bloody suggestion, but if you’d rather wallow in your self-pity, then stay in Los Angeles forever. Just don’t come crying to me when your bloody career tanks!”

Elijah opened his mouth to reply and closed it with a snap. He could hear Dom breathing heavily and he knew his own face was heated. “Can we just not fight about it? Please? For five fucking minutes, that’s all I ask. I just need to think.”

Dom snorted derisively, but he was otherwise silent. He stared Elijah down like a sniper sizing up his next victim, but thankfully Elijah was oblivious to that particular assault. It might have negatively influenced what he said next.

“I’ll go with you on two conditions.”

Excitement flooded Dom so quickly he had to force himself not to jump up and squeeze the life out of Elijah. “Okay,” he drawled.

“One. If I get there and decide that I absolutely cannot stay for _any_ reason, you can’t fight me if I want to come back to L.A.”

“That I can handle. What’s number two?”

“Don’t push me to restart my career. If I decide that I want to do something, I’ll get in touch with the right people. The last thing I need is for you to push me into something I’m not ready for. I’m not going to guarantee that I’ll ever go back to acting, but I need you to support me no matter what I decide. It’s not support if you’re pushing.”

“I promise I won’t say a word.” The delight in Dom’s voice was so palpable that Elijah didn’t need sight to know that he was smiling.

Elijah laid his hand down on the table palm-up and when Dom’s hand slid over it, he laced their fingers together.

*

Despite Elijah being well over the age of majority, Debbie was not sold on the idea of Elijah going to Hawaii with Dom. She felt vehemently that the two of them would be unable to deal well enough with their own psychological problems and Elijah’s physical handicap. She also just wanted Elijah close to home.

“Mom, I went to New Zealand when I was 18. This time, I’m not even leaving the country, just the continental States. And I’m not asking you—I’m telling you. I don’t need your permission.”

“Elijah, don’t you take that tone with me. I am still your mother and you still live under my roof.”

“In the house that I bought!” Elijah had never before thrown that fact in his mother’s face, but this was also the first time she was trying to control his actions.

“Fine.” Debbie threw her hands up in the air. “Go to Hawaii. Run away with your boyfriend and forget that you have a career to manage or a family back home.”

“Mom!” Elijah shouted, sounding very much like a petulant teenager.

“No. Don’t listen to me. Do what you want. I don’t care anymore.”

“Mom, you’re being ridiculous!”

“And you sound like a child. You want to act like a child? I’ll treat you like one.”

“You’ve never treated me like a child. That’s my point. I went to Florida to film Flipper _alone_ when I was only 15 and you didn’t even bat an eyelash. Now I just want to do something for me and you make a huge fuss out of it. What’s so different this time?”

“Do you promise to find some sort of counseling when you get there?”

“Yes!” Elijah was exasperated, and Debbie still hadn’t answered his question, but at this point, he was willing to do nearly anything just to get her to accept his decision.

Debbie gave Dom a meaningful look. “You take care of my son. I’m sure I’ll be down eventually to visit the two of you, but I don’t want to find that everything has gone to pieces. You both have lives and careers and _relationships_ to maintain. Don’t think of this as playtime.”

“Mom. New Zealand, remember? We know what we’re doing.”

“I just worry,” Debbie said, pulling Elijah in for a hug. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, a little compromise is necessary sometimes.


	5. Blind - 5/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 5/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash, violence  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 1,637  
Beta: The lovely and talented, [](http://honeyandvinegar.livejournal.com/profile)[**honeyandvinegar**](http://honeyandvinegar.livejournal.com/)  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

When the plane touched down in Hawaii, Dom felt as though a huge weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. Despite the struggles they’d gone through, they made it. Beside him, Elijah was facing the window. Though he could not see the landscape, he could feel the sun on his face. Dom took his hand.

Elijah turned to him. He was smiling, one of the rare smiles since the accident. Debbie had been hell-bent on keeping Elijah in California, but his desire to go had been too strong.

They were taken to by company car to the beach house where they’d live for the duration of filming. If LOST was signed for an additional season, they might be there longer, but for now, they only predicted about six months.

They pulled into the driveway. Elijah got out of the car and stood shock still. “Dom.”

Dom rushed to his side, afraid something had happened. “Yeah? What’s wrong?”

“I can smell the ocean,” he said, taking a deep breath.

A smile smeared its way across Dom’s face unbidden.

“It doesn’t . . .” Elijah trailed off, searching for words. Dom could see the pure, unbridled pleasure on his face. “It’s nothing like LA. Everything smells so fresh. And the flowers . . .” he took another deep breath. “It’s so beautiful here.”

The driver handed over the keys to the house and left them alone to explore.

“I don’t have to be at the studio until Monday morning, so we’ve got all day tomorrow to play. Shall we see what we’re working with?”

Elijah grabbed his arm. “What does the outside of the house look like, Dom?”

In his haste to see the inside, Dom had almost forgotten that Elijah hadn’t seen the outside. Thankfully, he couldn’t see the look of embarrassment on his face, either.

“It’s, well, it’s got a white roof and light blue walls. The roof is sort of pitched so that it’s rather pointed at the top. And there’s a porch on the front—a screened-in porch, and that’s got a small triangular roof on it. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of nights sitting out there. Listening to the rain.”

“Sounds brilliant.”

“Are you ready to go in?”

“Yes.” Elijah unfolded his cane and tapped his way into the house behind Dom.

They meandered through the fully-furnished beach house together, Dom taking in everything visually, and Elijah feeling about the furniture with his hands. When they made a complete circuit, and came back to the living room, Dom just stood watching, appreciating the way Elijah got about without his sight.

Elijah turned around to face him, and Dom knew he’d been caught.

“You were watching me, weren’t you?” he said, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

“Your movements just seem so . . . natural. It’s hard to believe you’ve only been . . . like this for a bit now.”

Elijah tapped his way over to Dom and held out his hand, which Dom took. “Blind. You can say it. It’s my life now,” he said with a shrug. “I can either get used to it, or get angry. Quite frankly, the thought of being angry all the time doesn’t exactly appeal to me.” He placed a kiss on their linked fingers and then dropped Dom’s hand. “This house is beautiful, though, isn’t it?”

“No as beautiful as you,” Dom answered honestly.

Elijah pinned him with a sightless stare. “Dom . . .”

Dom responded by wrapping his arms around Elijah’s waist, drawing him closer. “We haven’t made love in over a month,” he whispered into Elijah’s ear.

“Thanks for the reminder,” Elijah replied dryly.

“Not a reminder. Just a . . . nudge.” Dom punctuated the last word by snaking his hand down to give Elijah’s soft cock a squeeze. It was gone before Elijah could respond.

“Dom,” Elijah groaned. “I’m really not in the mood.”

“Let me make you feel good. Please?” Dom placed a series of kisses along the line of Elijah’s neck. “Just let me try.”

A long silence, a sigh from Elijah, and finally, agreement. Dom took Elijah’s hand and led him back to the master bedroom.

It was furnished comfortably in shades of blue and yellow. Very calming, very beach-like. The windows were open to let in fresh Hawaiian air. They could hear the waves breaking on the surf outside.

Dom backed Elijah up until his legs hit the bed.

“How do you want to do this?” Elijah asked, licking his lips nervously. “Should I lay down, or . . .”

“Just go with it,” Dom said, sitting down on the bed. “I only want to do what you’re comfortable with—even if that just means laying here and holding you.”

“But you said—”

Dom blew a raspberry. “That was just a ploy to get you in here. Sit down with me.”

Elijah sat down, but his body language was stiff. Dom couldn’t tell if he was anxious or just attentive to the sounds around them.

“Do you remember the first time we met?”

The question caught Elijah off guard and Dom knew it; he wanted it that way.

“Yes,” Elijah drawled. How could he forget?

“I was the last of the Hobbits to arrive, because I’d come from France. I’d already met Bills and Orlando and everybody, and there you were, just standing in the back like you were nobody. And Pete said to me, ‘This is our Frodo, Elijah.’ And I hugged you . . . and I just knew right there that you were something special.”

“Romantic sod,” Elijah chided. With great precision, he scooted closer and laid his head on Dom’s shoulder. Dom’s arm came up, almost of its own accord, to wrap around Elijah’s shoulder. “Remember our first date?” Elijah didn’t wait for a response. “You wore that horrid orange shirt with the blue tie and took me to that seafood place before you knew how much I hated seafood.”

“Ahh, but I got my kiss that night, didn’t I?”

Elijah tilted his face towards Dom’s voice. “You did,” he whispered. Their lips met and it felt like their first kiss all over again. Elijah cupped Dom’s cheek to orient himself. Dom, on the other hand, was too afraid to muck up the intimacy they’d managed to rebuild, so he let Elijah take the reins. Elijah’s lips were soft and tentative.

Before they could get very far, Dom realised that Elijah’s sunglasses were digging into his face. But when he reached up to tug them off, Elijah pulled away. He hadn’t let Dom see his eyes since the accident. That required an (in Dom’s opinion) absurd ritual of trading his sunglasses for a sleeping mask. It seemed extreme, but Dom wasn’t going to complain so long as Elijah shared a bed with him.

“Can I take these off?” Dom whispered.

Elijah cupped Dom’s cheeks, rubbing his thumbs in the hollows at the corners of his eyes. “I’ll take them off if you promise to keep your eyes closed. And I’m warning you: if I catch you with your eyes open, I’ll get on a plane and go straight back to California.”

Dom had to resist the urge to raise his eyebrows in surprise, for he knew Elijah would feel the pull of the muscles in his face. “I promise.”

Elijah slid his thumbs over Dom’s eyes, encouraging him to close them. “Keep them closed.”

They were on the same playing field, now. Dom heard the plastic _clack-clack_ of Elijah folding his sunglasses. He felt Elijah get up, heard him set his sunglasses on the dresser, and he was back.

Elijah cupped Dom’s cheek again, and leaned in for another kiss. This time, they met unhindered. Dom couldn’t help the moan that welled up in his throat. He took Elijah’s face in his long-fingered hands, opening the other man’s mouth with his tongue. His next urge was to lay them both down, but he held himself in check. Panting, he pulled away, eyes still closed.

“Elijah, I think we’d better—”

“Stop. Yeah,” Elijah agreed.

Dom could hear the tremor in his voice. He knew that Elijah was just as affected, but he wasn’t going to push the issue.

*

After they’d unpacked, Elijah insisted upon going down to the beach.

“We’ve got beach back in LA. Same ocean, even,” Dom complained, wanting to relax from their long flight.

“Yes, but we’ve got to share _that_ beach with how many people? Come on, Dom, humour me.” Elijah was out the back door and halfway down the sand before Dom could say a word.

Dom put his sandals back on and walked to the ocean, where Elijah stood at its edge, sunglasses firmly placed back upon his nose. He’d insisted that Dom not open his eyes until they were back on, a request which Dom honoured dutifully.

“Do you know why I agreed to come here, Dom?”

“To get away from your mum and Hannah?”

Elijah smirked. “No. Because I knew this would be one of the few places I could actually see the world without _seeing_ it. Do you hear that?”

Dom tilted his head. “Hear what?”

“Exactly. There’s no . . . people to mess this up. I can hear the waves, and smell the ocean. I can feel the sun on my face, and the sand beneath my feet. I don’t need my eyes to tell me what this looks like—I already know.”

Dom suddenly found himself so choked with emotion, he couldn’t speak. Sometimes Elijah was just too wise beyond his years. He didn’t seem to notice Dom’s silence, either. Perhaps he just thought Dom was letting him have his moment. But whatever he thought, he was happy to be just where he was.


	6. Blind - 6/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 6/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash, violence  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 2,092  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

On Monday morning, a car came for Dom. Reluctantly, he left Elijah alone in the beach house.

“Call me if you need anything at all.”

“I’ll be _fine_ ,” Elijah said with a laugh. “What’s the worst that could happen? I’ll get bored without you? I’ve got my music to keep me entertained.” Before coming to Hawaii, Dom and Elijah had spent time organizing Elijah’s iPod. He’d memorized the number of clicks it would take to work through his music. He also had a clear enough memory of the order of artists and tracks that he could operate the device almost as easily as before.

“Just promise you won’t go into the ocean without me.”

“Not even to get my feet wet?”

“You can wade, but I don’t want to come back to find you washed up on the sand.”

“I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Elijah kissed him on the cheek and sent him on his way. His first task of the day was to do the washing-up from breakfast. He’d insisted that he needed to occupy his time alone. Privately, he longed to give himself tasks that would allow himself to work without his sight. He’d never become self-sufficient if he never worked alone.

When the dishes were done, he hunted up a towel, grabbed his iPod, and headed down to the beach. He walked to the water’s edge and backed up to ensure he wouldn’t be caught off guard when the water rose later in the day. He unrolled his towel and lay down. Headphones were put on and a few clicks later the Beatles were filling his ears.

Despite the loss of his sight, he was, as a self-proclaimed audiophile, thankful he retained his hearing. Had he been deafened, his world would have become mute—a state he would not trade for his sight. The thought of being without his music, never hearing the waves or Dom whispering “I love you” made his heart ache. He would be blinded ten times over just to be able to hear those words.

The heat of the sun and the music in his ears lulled Elijah into a peaceful sleep. He woke up some time later, realising that he’d slept for a couple hours, judging by the position of his playlist. He sat up and pulled his headphones off. The sound of the waves rolled in and he had to smile. Hardly anything could compare to that.

Gathering up his towel, he trudged back to the house for a shower and some lunch. He pressed the button on the clock in the kitchen—it read the time out loud.

“Twelve twenty-three,” the clock told him.

“Brilliant,” Elijah replied to the clock.

Dom wasn’t due back until at least seven or eight—studio meetings never got out early. That would give Elijah time to arrange the house to his liking and really settle in.

He went through the house: living room, kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom, and guest bedroom. It wasn’t a very big house, but they were used to sharing the guest house back home, so this was quite a luxury. Elijah took his time, straightening things, memorizing walking patterns, and feeling the fabric of the furniture in lieu of seeing it. His favourite piece of furniture was the fuzzy chair in the living room. He had no idea what colour it was, but he’d covered every inch of it with his hands.

Sometimes Elijah liked to tell himself that he was colour blind, rather than completely blind. He could still see most of the things people with sight could, and he hated to think of himself as disabled.

Dom got home shortly after six, to Elijah’s surprise. He’d been laying in _his_ chair, listening to one of his audiobooks. When he heard Dom’s key in the lock, he sprung up and put his iPod away. Picking up his cane, he tapped his way to the front door.

“Hey, babe.”

“Hi . . .” Dom’s voice trailed off into concern. “Elijah,” he sighed.

Elijah’s eyebrows knitted in confusion. “What? What happened?” The hand that held his iPod clenched reflexively.

“Baby, you’re so sunburnt. Can’t you feel it?”

Elijah looked down at himself out of habit. “I guess it hasn’t hit me yet. Is it really bad?”

Dom winced. “Yeah . . . a bit. How long were you out there?”

“A . . . couple of hours.” Elijah shrugged. “I fell asleep.”

Dom shook his head. “I tell you not to go in the ocean, so you fry yourself on the beach instead.”

Elijah had to grin at that. “Well, look at it this way: I’ll let you rub skin cream on me later.”

“Mmm.”

“How was your day?”

“Long. Costume fittings and script read-throughs. But I got to meet a lot of my cast-mates.”

“Any cute blokes?”

“Not as cute as you,” Dom replied, leaning in to kiss Elijah. “Josh, the bloke who plays Charlie, isn’t too bad, if a bit old for my taste.”

“Well, isn’t his character supposed to be forty-something, anyway?”

“You did read my script!”

Elijah shrugged again. “Guilty. I just didn’t want you think I was snooping—”

“Even though you were.”

“Yes, but that’s not important. Back to Josh.”

“You haven’t even met him and you fancy him already!”

“Yep. You’ve figured me out. I’m going to leave you for some forty-year-old I’ve never met. Try again, stud.”

“He’s only thirty-five.”

“Eight years older than you. Hell, you two are both practically forty! Maybe you should go out with him!”

“He’s not even gay—that’s not the point!” Dom smeared his smile into his shoulder.

“You’re insufferable, you know that?”

“I’m not insufferable. I’m _yours_ ,” Elijah replied, leaning in to place a kiss on Dom’s cheek.

“You’ve got me there. Wot’s for dinner?”

“Well, considering I’m still afraid to go near the stove, I thought we’d just order in.”

“I must say I like that idea, Mister Wood.”

“Why, thank you, Mister Monaghan.”

After much curry had been consumed, and both men were feeling relaxed and full, Dom convinced Elijah to strip down so he could rub some cream over his burnt skin. Eijah hissed in pain at the first contact, but soon relaxed under Dom's gentle fingers.

"You win. I did get burnt today."

Dom quirked an eyebrow. "You didn't think I was lying, did you?"

"I just didn't think it was this bad."

"That's the thing about sunburns," Dom said, smoothing the cream down to the tips of Eijah's fingers. "They're never as bad as you think until the evening. You don't feel sick or anything, do you?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I just can't believe I got sunburnt already."

"You've got such fair skin. I'm surprised you haven't gotten burnt more often."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I don't go to the beach very much back home."

"Point."

That night Elijah had to sleep very carefully. Any quick moves and he'd wake up, hissing in pain. Of course, Dom was always right there and awake, though there wasn't anything he could do aside from wince and ask Elijah if he needed anything.

*

Filming was due to start at the beginning of August, nearly a fortnight since they'd arrived. Dom talked often and fondly of his new cast-mates, particularly Evangeline and Matt, with whom he spent most of his time. Josh also got his fair share of limelight in Dom's stories, as well.

While Elijah enjoyed hearing about Dom's career, he couldn't help the pang of jealousy he felt at being excluded from the film industry. Though it was never explicitly stated that he'd never act again, Elijah knew it was true. The only roles he could play would be that of blind people, or perhaps incapacitated victims on medical dramas. Acting had always been his passion, and now he was left standing on the sidelines while his boyfriend's career took off.

Several newspapers and television networks had contacted his agent for interviews, but Elijah had turned them all down. He wasn't comfortable taking to his family about what happened; there was no way he'd be able to open up to the world. If he did do an initial interview, it would probably be with someone he felt comfortable with, not just a random segment for TMZ.

The first legitimate interview came from a local news show in Hawaii. Initially, they wanted to interview Dom and Elijah together, but Elijah insisted the first interview about his blindness be separated from Dom's first interview about his new television series. The producers of the show agreed to take Elijah first and hold Dom's segment off until they did an episode with the entire cast of LOST.

Dom offered to go with him, but Elijah insisted he go alone. If he was going to restart his career, he had to learn to do things like this without using Dom (or anyone else) as a crutch.

". . . Eijah Wood!"

With his cane in hand, Elijah walked out onto the stage amid a roar of applause. He and the producers had mapped out his rout to the chair he'd be sitting in, so he wouldn't have an trouble getting there in front of the camera. He sat down in the chair, smiling widely. The joy on his face wasn't fake--he hadn't felt this good since before he was blinded.

"Good morning, Elijah. How are you doing?" Luana, one of the show's hosts asked.

"I'm doing really great. Hawaii is beautiful."

"Well thank you. We really appreciate having you on the island. Have you ever been to Hawaii before?"

"A few times, but this is the only time I've been here for an extended stay."

"Elijah," the other host, Kani, said. "I have to ask the biggest question on all of our minds. How did you become blind?"

Elijah took a breath before answering. Around him, he could hear the crowd go silent. He was prepared for this. As part of his agreement for appearing on the show, Elijah and his agent had gone over all the questions the hosts planned to ask, to ensure they wouldn't step over the line. Interviews weren't normally in the hands of the actor, but this was a special case.

"I was in an accident on the set of _Green Street Hooligans_. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the film, but I heard they found an unknown to take my place."

"Is that what brings you to Hawaii?"

"You could say that. For right now, Hawaii is just a calm, pleasant place where I can heal and get back to myself."

"Do you plan to go back to acting?"

Elijah thought for a moment before answering this one. "I'd love to, let me just say that first. Acting has been my passion my entire life and I'd hate to think that it's gone forever. On the other hand, without my sight, my career is never going to be the same. I won't exactly be cast as the lead in the remake of _Romeo and Juliet_ , unless the script involves Romeo being blind."

The audience chuckled.

Elijah smiled tightly in response. He didn't intend for that to be a joke.

"Well, I'm sure there's still a place for you in Hollywood, Elijah. Thank you so much for stopping by."

"Thank you." He smiled and waved until the cameras were off, but he couldn't wait to get home.

 

"How was the interview?" Dom called as soon as the door shut.

Elijah tapped his way into the kitchen and snagged a beer from the fridge. He flopped down in his favourite chair in the living room. "It was fine."

"Then why do you look so miserable?"

Elijah drank down several swallows of bitter. "I wasn't expecting the interview to remind me of what a shit show my career has become."

"Don't say that. You haven't--"

"Don't, Dom. Just don't," Elijah said, holding up a hand. He finished his beer off and tapped into the kitchen for another. As he popped the top off, he said, "I'm going to take a bath."

Dom watched him tap down the hallway, feeling for all the world like Elijah's bad mood was his fault.


	7. Blind - 7/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 7/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash, violence  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 1,536  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

When Elijah's television appearance aired, he was in a much better mood than the day he taped it. Dom was already gone, but he made Elijah promise to record the show. Elijah's mind was half on the television; he was only taping it because Dom wanted to see it.

The audience laughed.

Elijah's awkward silence followed.

On screen, the conversation continued.

In the living room, the real Elijah clenched his hand around the remote control. He wished he could just erase this recording, but Dom would be hurt if he couldn't see Elijah's appearance.

The show wrapped up. Elijah turned off the television. His cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Open the door, you fucker."

"Josh?"

"Of course it's me. Could you open the door? These bags are heavy."

"Quit fucking with me. How are you? I haven't talked to you in ages."

"I told you--open the fucking door."

Elijah made a face. The doorbell rang and he almost jumped a foot.

"Who is it?" he called.

"Open the fucking door!" Josh called, sounding increasingly agitated.

Elijah tapped his way to the door as fast a he could. He flung it open. Josh lifted him up into an enormous hug, causing him to drop his cane in the process. Josh set him down on his feet and retrieved his cane.

"I'll be damned if you _aren't_ blind as a bat."

"Thanks for the astute observation, Captain Obvious. Is that all you came for? Just to confirm the rumors?"

"Hell no," Josh said, inviting himself into the house. Elijah trailed after him. "Nice digs you got here."

"This is the house the studio rented for us."

"For you? Or just for Dom?"

"For both of us," Elijah replied, smirking. "Don't you remember when we came out last year? The rags had a field day with us."

"You know I don't read that garbage."

"Of course. But you don't keep up with your friends' personal lives, either."

"How do you think I got down here? Dom. _You_ won't return my calls."

"I answered when you called just now!"

"And what luck that was."

Elijah flipped Josh the bird.

"How long are you staying?"

"I don't know. A week? Two? Until you get sick of me and throw me out."

"You mean until you get sick of us and leave."

"Get sick of you?" Josh pulled Elijah into his side for a hug. "That could never happen."

"Yeah, we'll see," Elijah said.

"All right, then, Shades, where am I sleeping?"

"You'd be sleeping on the beach if Dom wouldn't stop me," Elijah said. He tapped his way down the hall, leading Josh to the guest bedroom.

"So are you going to let me see the damage? Or is that privileged?"

Elijah crossed his arms. "Are you going to give up?"

"Probably not," Josh said. He dropped his suitcases down on the bed.

With a great sigh, Elijah lowered his sunglasses.

Josh gave a low whistle. "What does Dom think?"

"He hasn't see it," Elijah said, sliding his glasses back up his nose.

"He hasn't . . . Are you two on the outs, but just didn't want to tell me?"

"Do you think I'd be living with him in Hawaii if we were?"

"I just don't understand . . . You sleep next to him at night, don't you?"

"I wear an eye mask to bed."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Elijah said nothing.

"Elijah. Seriously?"

"What?"

"It's been . . . What? Two months? And you still haven't let Dom see you without sunglasses on? Do you think he's going to leave you because you have scars from the fucking _acid that was thrown in your face_? Fuck, if you were my boyfriend, I'd leave you just for not trusting me!"

"Oh, yeah, Josh, because you've fucking been around all this time! You fucking know what it's been like for me trying to learn how to _live_ without my eyesight. Without my fucking career. _Dom_ has been the one who has stuck by me." Elijah sucked in a breath, gaining momentum. "It's not that I think he's going to leave if he sees me, it's that _I_ am not comfortable showing him! If I knew that _he_ knew what I really looked like, I think I'd been too fucking _guilty_ to make him stay with me! He deserves someone who doesn't look like a fucking train wreck! Why do you think I came to Hawaii? It wasn't just to 'support my boyfriend,' Josh. I was afraid he'd meet someone else, someone beautiful, someone undamaged. My intentions are _completely_ selfish. I'm not afraid he's going to leave me if he sees my face. I'm afraid he's going to _stay_!"

Josh was quiet for a long moment. When he did speak, his voice was soft. "Elijah, he's not going to leave you. He's certainly not going to leave you for someone else."

Elijah shrugged, brushing Josh's words off. "Logically, I know that. But it doesn't stop the fear. It doesn't stop the anxiety. And it doesn't keep me from hiding my face."

"Have you thought about talking to someone? As in seeing a psychiatrist?"

"A shrink."

"You could go with Dom. I know he'd be willing to go with you."

"It's just more fuel to the fire, Josh. The more Dom knows, the worse I'm going to feel." He tapped his way to the doorway. "Look, let's not talk about this. Any more and I'm going to get on a plane back to California. How's New York?"

Josh sighed because Elijah couldn't see the look on his face.

"Still living in the Village?"

"Yep," Josh answered.

"Josh, please. I don't want to talk about this shit right now. They're my issues, and if Dom really has a problem, he can talk to me. You don't need to put yourself in the middle of this."

"I worry about you. I was your best friend before you went to New Zealand."

"Shut the fuck up. You still are my best friend," Elijah said, giving Josh a rare smile.

"Good. Now can we _please_ go to the beach? We don't have one of those where I live."

"Yes. Just don't forget sunscreen. I fried the fuck out of myself right after we got here. I couldn't sleep on my stomach for almost a week."

"Oh I will. I'm still as ghostly pale as I ever was."

"I'm starting to tan. I think," Elijah said, holding out his arms for Josh's inspection.

Josh snorted. "If I'm ghostly pale, then you're like milk. Living in L.A. hasn't given you a tan, and neither has Hawaii."

"Knowing Dom, he's probably been giving me SPF 50, rather than 30."

"You need it, Casper," Josh said, clapping him on the back.

"Har fucking har," Elijah replied, leading Josh to the back door.

*

Josh and Elijah were sitting on the back porch under the table umbrella when Dom got home that evening.

"Hi, Honey," Elijah said, tilting his head up for a kiss, which Dom willingly bestowed.

"I see you found your present," Dom said, sitting down between Elijah and Josh.

"Do I get to keep it?"

"Until it needs to go back home," Josh said.

"How was work?" Elijah asked, sliding his hand over Dom's thigh.

"The usual." Dom went in to a long spiel about his day on set. Josh seemed interested, but Elijah fought familiar feelings of resentment. He hated feeling jealous of his boyfriend's success, but couldn't shake the feeling. "How was your day? Oh! Did you tape that show?"

"What show?" Josh asked.

"Elijah was on Luana and Kani in the Morning the other day. It aired this morning."

"No shit? Did you tape it?"

"Yes," Elijah sighed.

They walked into the house and settled in the living room. Elijah pressed play.

Dom and Josh watched the show. Elijah could only hear himself, but he sounded pleasant until the infamous 'Romeo and Juliet' comment. The audience chuckled, but Dom and Josh were silent. The show ended and Elijah stopped the DVR.

"Well that was a bunch of shit," Josh exclaimed. "How the hell could they find the death of your career _funny_?"

Elijah snorted. "You're telling me."

"That's why you were so upset when you came home that day," Dom said. He reached for Elijah's hand. "I'm sorry I made such a big deal about doing the show."

"It's not your fault," Elijah said, clearly uncomfortable. "It just really pissed me off that we went through all the trouble of making sure they wouldn't ask the wrong questions, and I was still made out to be a spectacle."

"Well, you weren't a _spectacle_ ," Dom hedged.

"They certainly didn't take me seriously."

"Fuck them," Josh cut in. "You weren't on there to please the audience. You were just taking the first step to rebuilding your career. Who knows? Maybe they will cast you as the first blind Romeo."

"If that happens, I will kiss your ass," Elijah deadpanned.

Dom laughed, clapping Elijah on the back. He knew it would be good to have Josh around.


	8. Blind - 8/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 8/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash, violence  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 1,597  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

Josh wasn’t around nearly as much as Dom expected him to be. Granted, he was in Hawaii for work as well as pleasure, but Dom had to admit that he expected Josh to get _Elijah_ out of the house more than he did.

Still, Josh’s presence was good for Elijah. Dom watched as they shared music and inside jokes. Elijah hadn’t laughed so much since before the accident.

“I’ll be home tonight,” Dom said, kissing Elijah’s cheek. “You guys are going out today, right?”

Elijah shook his head. “Josh is going in to town, but I’m going to hang out here.”

“Elijah—”

Behind Elijah, Josh was shaking his head furiously. With a sigh, Dom let the argument go.

“I love you,” he said softly.

“You too,” Elijah replied.

Dom left, almost looking forward to work more than he looked forward to coming home. In the back of his mind, he couldn’t wait for Josh to go home.

*

After the tense goodbye that morning, Dom was shocked to see Josh and Elijah appear on the set. Josh looked confident and cock-sure as always, but Elijah seemed lost and very unlike himself. Dom walked up to them and took Elijah’s hand. Elijah tilted his face up for a kiss that Dom willingly bestowed. Forgiven, then.

“What are you guys doing here?” Dom asked.

Josh shrugged noncommittally. “Elijah hasn’t been to the set, and _I_ certainly haven’t, so we thought we’d come down to say ‘hi.’” Josh leaned in conspiratorially. “I was also hoping I might get a cameo while I’m down here.”

Dom grinned and shoved him. “I knew you were just using me to get work!”

“Well, you know what they say: All’s fair in love and show business.”

“Or something like that.” Dom bumped his shoulder into Elijah’s. “What are you so quiet for?”

Elijah shrugged. “Just listening.”

“Come, I’ll introduce you guys around.” He was careful not to say, “show you around” because Elijah wouldn’t be able to _see_ anything.

Josh timed their visit well—the cast was on lunch, so the other actors were milling around freely. Dom introduced them to everyone he could find—Josh Holloway, Evangeline, Navine, Daniel, Jorge. . . . It was a huge host of names, but Dom knew that Elijah, being the studious actor he was, would remember every name and the voice that went with it.

The one Josh was the most interested in, however, was Matt, the ruggedly handsome actor who played LOST’s leading man, Jack, opposite Evangeline.

“Josh has the hots for him,” Elijah whispered.

“How can you tell?” Dom whispered back. He wasn’t going to add that Elijah couldn’t see Josh smiling and touching Matt’s arm as they talked.

“It’s the tone of his voice. It gets deeper and he talks slower when he’s interested in someone. It’s kinda the same way your voice gets deep when you . . .” Elijah trailed off.

Dom made a noise of understanding. It had been a long time since they had been intimate, and his cock gave a twitch as if to remind him. Dom forced his attention back to the scene in front of him, if only to get his attention out of his trousers. “Have you eaten yet, Matt?”

Matt managed to tear his eyes away from Josh long enough to look at Dom. “No, not yet.”

“Do you guys want to go get something? off set?”

Matt glanced back at Josh. “Yeah, I would.”

Elijah could hear the smile in his voice.

They settled on a little café not far from the studio. It was an outdoor café, and Josh insisted they sit outside because “New York has summer once a year.”

“Well, this is a nice change from the same choice of deli sandwiches every day,” Matt said as he perused the menu.

“You’re telling me,” Dom agreed. “You’d think the catering crew could switch it up once a week.”

Elijah made a small noise to show he was listening.

Dom glanced at him and the look on his face said they should talk about something other than work. “The chicken penne looks good.”

“Ugh,” Josh said.

“You don’t like chicken penne?” Matt asked.

“Josh doesn’t eat meat,” Dom filled in.

“Just man meat,” Elijah muttered, though he was smirking.

“Funny,” Josh said. “I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 12. I was cutting chicken and I hit a tumor. Blood squirted everywhere and there was pus on my hand and the knife. It was disgusting and I haven’t eaten meat since.

“I think that would turn anyone off,” Matt said sympathetically.

The waitress interrupted to take their order. She left as quickly as she came.

“So, Matt, where are you from?” Josh asked.

“I live in Oregon.”

Josh whistled low. “I bet it’s colder there than New York.”

“Sometimes,” Matt said with a laugh. “But it’s so beautiful here, I can’t really miss home too much.”

Dom watched the exchange with a measure of amusement and displeasure. While he wanted Josh to have a good time, this outing didn’t seem to be doing anything for Elijah. Matt must have sensed his mood, because he switched his attention from Josh to Elijah.

“So, Elijah, Dom tells me you’re an actor, too.”

Elijah raised an eyebrow. “Are you fucking serious?”

Matt laughed. “Okay, you’re right, that was stupid. I’ve seen the Lord of the Rings.”

Elijah smiled tightly, but kept silent.

The other three shared pained looks.

“I don’t act anymore. Every since my accident . . .” he waved vaguely at his sunglasses. “I mean, it’s not like they’d cast me to play Frodo in film version of The Hobbit.”

“Frodo wasn’t in The Hobbit,” Josh said. “He wasn’t even born yet.”

Elijah shook his head. “I’m just saying. Even if Frodo _was_ alive when Bilbo took off on his adventure, they still wouldn’t cast me. How could I possibly play Frodo when I can’t even see my own hands? Case in point, I couldn’t play any other role, either.”

Dom cleared his throat. “Elijah, J.J. actually mentioned having you on the show for an episode or two.”

Josh made a face of indignation, but Dom shot him a look that told him to keep his mouth shut.

Matt looked at Elijah with polite interest.

“I don’t know . . .” were the first words out of Elijah’s mouth. “Who am I going to be? The blind guy who dies as soon as they discover he’s alive?”

“Well . . . no. Since we’re supposed to be stranded on a desert island, you can wear sunglasses for the entire part. Your character isn’t blind. He’s going to be one of the ‘Others.’ Remember how I told you there’s supposed to be more people on the island that we’ve just found out about?”

“Yes,” Elijah said slowly.

“Well, you’d be one of them. Granted, your character is probably either going to die or disappear, mostly because it’s only a cameo. Although, I don’t see why they wouldn’t write you in longer if they really like your performance.”

Elijah was quiet for a moment. “I’ll think about it.”

Josh kicked him under the table.

“Ow! What the fuck was that for?”

“You need to get off your ass and get back to work!”

“Says the man on indefinite ‘vacation.’”

“I’m not afraid to work.”

“Neither am I!”

“Guys!” Dom cut in. “Can’t we just have a nice lunch without fighting? I feel like all we bloody do anymore is fight.”

“Sorry,” Josh muttered.

Thankfully, their food arrived, interrupting the awkward moment. They ate in silence for several heavy minutes. Elijah didn’t apologize, but the fact that he let the argument drop was good enough for Dom.

They finished eating and headed back to set. Josh was clearly reluctant to leave Matt. He took him to the side on the pretense of giving Dom and Elijah some alone time.

“So . . .” Dom said, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Things between them had never been this awkward—not even when they first met in New Zealand.

Unexpectedly, Elijah pulled Dom in for a tight hug and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“For what?” Dom asked, resting his chin on Elijah’s shoulder.

“Not giving up on me.”

Before Dom could reply, Josh walked up to them. “Ready to go, Napoleon?”

Elijah pulled away from Dom. “You always were a mood killer. Guess that’s why your main gig is posing for a can of green beans. Nothing sexual about that.”

They headed off to the parking lot.

“Are they always like that?” Matt asked, watching them leave.

Dom let out a heavy sigh. “They banter, but it’s never so serious. Elijah has changed since the accident. Some days I’m not sure I still love the person he’s become.”

“Maybe you guys should try couple’s therapy?”

Dom barked out a laugh. “That’s what Josh told Elijah.”

“What did Elijah say?”

“That he doesn’t need to see a shrink. But, to be honest, if this gets any worse, _I_ am going to need my own shrink.”

“Maybe you could try going alone first. I think having at least one of you in therapy would be beneficial to the relationship.”

“Oh, so now you think _I_ am the crazy one?” Dom said with a grin.

“Go away,” Matt replied good-naturedly.

Dom walked away laughing. If just talking to Matt about his relationship had made him feel better, he could only imagine how much better he’d feel if he actually talked to a professional.


	9. Blind - 9/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is dedicated to [](http://verangel.livejournal.com/profile)[verangel](http://verangel.livejournal.com/) because I didn't come up with anything for her birthday. And yes, this is the first NC-17 chapter in Blind. You have been warned.

Title: Blind - 9/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: NC-17  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 2,206  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)  
Author's Note: This one is dedicated to [](http://verangel.livejournal.com/profile)[**verangel**](http://verangel.livejournal.com/) because I didn't come up with anything for her birthday. And yes, this is the first NC-17 chapter in Blind. You have been warned.

“I have a date,” Josh announced, walking into the room.

Elijah raised an eyebrow. “You mean you’re finally leaving Dom and I to have some peace and quiet?”

“You love having me around,” Josh said, flopping down on the couch next to him.

Elijah made a non-committal noise. “Are you going out with Matt?”

“Tonight.” Josh let out a breath. “So that should give you and Dom some alone time.”

“We don’t need any alone time.”

“Of course you do. He’s your boyfriend.”

“We get enough alone time. Fuck’s sake, Josh, I sleep next to the man every night. I hardly think we need you to leave just so we can have alone time.”

“You sure about that?”

Turning so Josh could see him, Elijah made a face. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“When’s the last time you and Dom had sex?”

“How in the fuck is that any of your business?” Elijah jumped to his feet and fumbled with his cane. He tapped his way out of the living room as Josh’s words pursued him.

“I’m only asking because I know it’s been since before your accident!”

Elijah stopped in the entryway and turned. “If you already knew, then why did you ask?”

“Because you’re my best friend. And I hate seeing your relationship fall apart.”

Elijah couldn’t see Josh’s face, but he knew from the tone of the other man’s voice that it was full of concern. Nobody wanted his and Dom’s relationship to go back to normal more than Elijah, but for the time being, it just wasn’t going to happen. He felt entirely too insecure with himself, let alone feeling secure enough with _Dom_ to have sex.

And he would never tell Josh, but the other man’s presence was only complicating things in the arena of Dom and Elijah’s sex life. If things weren’t confusing and embarrassing enough when they were alone, adding Josh to the mix was like putting a spotlight on all that was _wrong_ in their relationship. If Elijah couldn’t deal with it alone, he certainly wasn’t going to be able to deal with Josh throwing it in his face at every turn.

“I appreciate that. But you’re really not helping.”

Josh let out his breath. “Well, if you need to talk . . .”

“I don’t. Not right now, anyway.” Elijah tapped his way to the back door and let himself onto the patio. It was the only place he felt like he could escape, and the ocean wind felt good on his face, one of the few things he hadn’t lost with his sight.

*

Elijah and Dom faced one another awkwardly after Josh and Matt left.

“So . . .”

“Well . . .”

They started to talk at the same time. Dom licked his lips nervously and rolled them under his teeth. “Go ahead. I didn’t really have anything to say.”

“Neither did I,” Elijah admitted.

“Do you want to go sit out back?” Dom asked. “The house feels kind of . . .”

“Stuffy,” Elijah added.

“Yeah.”

But as soon as they settled in the Adirondack chairs, Dom jumped up again. “I’m thirsty. I’m going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?”

“Whatever you’re having,” Elijah said. He listened to the sounds of Dom walking across the wooden deck, the door sliding open, and then shut. He blew out a breath.

If he thought his conversation with Josh was bad, this was taking awkward to a whole new level. There had never been any tension between he and Dom. Ever since they met that first time in New Zealand, they had an instant connection. Pete practically had to zip their mouths closed to get them to stop talking on set sometimes. Now they were lucky if they could get through a conversation without suffering an awkward silence.

Elijah knew he needed to open up to Dom, but he had no idea how.

The door slid back open, shut, and Dom’s bare feet were shuffling back across the deck. Elijah knew he was barefoot because he stepped very carefully when he wasn’t wearing shoes. His flip-flops a made very clippity-cloppity noise as he walked. In an ironic way, Elijah felt like he’d gotten to know Dom even better since his accident. Sadly, he’d also drawn farther away from his lover.

“Here,” Dom said, holding out a glass.

Elijah held out his own hand, and Dom put the glass into it. He brought the glass to his lips and savored the taste of iced tea, sweetened with enough sugar to make his teeth rot. Dom never forgot how he liked his tea.

“It’s nice out here,” Dom said vaguely, sipping his own tea.

Elijah nodded. They sat in silence while Elijah struggled to build his courage.

“Dom.”

Dom looked up while trying to take a drink and inadvertently spilled tea down the front of his shirt. “Bugger,” he hissed. “I’ll be right back.”

Elijah listened to the nearly silent _slap-slap-slap_ , _slide_. He felt his nerve slipping.

Dom came back out onto the deck, Elijah presumed, in a new shirt, while he began mopping at the mess he made.

“Dominic,” Elijah said louder, with more force.

“What?” Dom asked, caught off-guard. “I’m just cleaning up the spill.”

“Just . . . stop for a minute, okay?”

Confused, Dom stood in front of Elijah holding the tea-sodden towel. “Okay.” He looked like he expected Elijah to kick him or something, but Elijah couldn’t see his expression anyway, so it didn’t matter.

“None of this is going to come out right.”

“What? What’s going on? I—”

Before Dom could finish his sentence, Elijah lowered his sunglasses.

Elijah’s blue eyes that Dom so dearly loved were gone—Dom already knew that. Instead, his eyes held the milky-white color of blind eyes. The doctors had offered to fit him with contacts that would at least mimic the original color, but Elijah had turned the idea down almost immediately. His reasoning was that everyone already knew he was blind—there was not sense in inviting more questions.

What really rocked Dom were the scars running vertically over Elijah’s eyes. Most of them were due to the re-constructive surgeries Elijah had gone through, immediately following his accident. They showed minimally above and below the sunglasses Elijah insisted on wearing.

It wasn’t the scars or the eyes that rocked Dom so deeply, it was the fact that Elijah was finally willing to share this with him.

The towel fell from his limp fingers with a wet _thump_ on the deck.

“Say something,” Elijah said quietly. “Please.”

“I love you,” were the first words on Dom’s lips. His hands wrapped around Elijah’s shoulders and pulled the other man into his body. He rubbed his face in the juncture between Elijah’s shoulder and his neck. “I fucking love you, Elijah. And nothing, _nothing_ is going to change that.”

Elijah’s hands came up around Dom’s back, holding him just as tight. “I want to cry, Dom.”

The words brought tears to Dom’s eyes, but he blinked them away quickly. “You don’t need to cry, Doodle. Neither of us do. There’s nothing to be sad about.” He pulled away to look at Elijah’s face.

Elijah squeezed his eyes closed.

“Hey,” Dom said, pressing his thumbs gently beneath Elijah’s sightless eyes. “You don’t need to hide in front of me. Not now, not ever, hey?”

Elijah’s eyelids blinked open. “I can’t see you.”

“But I can see you,” Dom said. He fingered gently at the scars over Elijah’s eyebrow. “You’re beautiful,” he said, pressing a kiss to Elijah’s forehead.

Elijah’s eyelashes fluttered closed.

When Dom found no resistance, he placed a hesitant kiss upon Elijah’s closed eyelid. He repeated the action on the other eye. Elijah’s lips parted and he let a whisper of a breath. Dom’s lip quirked in the fashion of a grin. He feathered kisses down the curve of Elijah’s cheekbone, over the lines of scars there, and down to his mouth.

Elijah’s lips parted willingly for Dom. He sighed into his lover’s mouth, spine bowing with the sensations Dom’s kiss created. He gripped Dom’s strong back for support, allowing the other man to press him against Dom’s _very firm_ body.

Still kissing Elijah, Dom slid his hands down to cup Elijah’s rear and lifted him up into his arms. Elijah made a noise of surprise, but he did not break the kiss as he wrapped his legs around Dom’s waist and locked his ankles. Dom managed to get the sliding glass door open and the two of them inside without dropping Elijah or banging him against the walls.

“I like it when you drive,” Elijah said breathily, breaking away from the kiss to whisper in Dom’s ear.

“Baby, I intend to do a lot more than that,” Dom said, attacking Elijah’s neck with his tongue. Elijah moaned and wriggled like a worm on a hook.

Dom closed the bedroom door, left the light out, and deposited Elijah on the bed. Sprawled out and sighing like a wet dream, he looked exactly the way Dom remembered. Exactly the way Dom had wanted him since their first time together.

Quickly shucking his shirt and his trousers, Dom joined Elijah on the bed, covering him with planes of warm, naked skin. Elijah groaned up against him, bucking and groaning his pleasure. Dom quickly divested Elijah of his clothes as well. It seemed neither of them could be naked against one another, rubbing and moaning quickly enough.

“Fuck, Dom,” Elijah sighed. “Fuck me.”

Dom mouthed at the skin of Elijah’s collar. His forehead fell onto the bone there. “Fuck,” he cursed.

“What?” Elijah asked, his hands tightening on Dom’s biceps. “What’s wrong?”

“I left the lube in the nightstand.”

“Fuck’s sake, Dom,” Elijah sighed. He wriggled out from under the other man and opened the nightstand drawer with quick proficiency. He was back, lube in hand, within seconds. “I’m blind, not completely incapacitated,” he said, though his voice held no venom.

“I just didn’t want to have to leave you. Not even for a second,” Dom said, pulling Elijah tight against his body. He coated two of his fingers and pressed them against Elijah’s hole. Elijah’s body yielded easily, sending tendrils of fire curling in Dom’s belly.

“That’s enough—I’m good, come on,” Elijah panted beneath him.

“You sure?” Dom asked, working his fingers easily in and out of Elijah. He curled them and hit the spot inside that made Elijah gasp and arch his back like a cat in heat.

“Nghh, yes! Now quick fucking around and _fuck_ me!”

Not one to deny his boyfriend in a state like this, Dom removed his fingers and coated his cock in more lube. He pressed his cock into Elijah’s body, relishing the sounds he was making. He sought out Elijah’s hands in the dark and threaded their fingers together, despite one hand being sticky with lube.

“Missed this,” Dom sighed, using Elijah’s hands for leverage as he pistoned himself in and out of Elijah’s body.

“Me too,” Elijah sighed, lifting his hips to meet each of Dom’s thrusts.

Dom felt his balls tightened and he shook his hands free of Elijah’s to cradle his face. “I’m not going to last long.”

“That’s okay. Neither am I.”

Dom lengthened and deepened his strokes, sliding his belly against Elijah’s cock to ensure he was getting as much stimulation as possible. He managed to hold off until Elijah came with a cry, spilling warmth between their bodies. Dom’s own climax came quickly after that, the tightening and relaxing of Elijah’s body around his cock being too much for him to hold off any longer.

Dom pulled out slowly, noticing the slight wince on Elijah’s face as his legs fell to the bed. “You okay?” Dom asked, stretching out alongside Elijah’s nude body.

“Mmmhmm,” Elijah mumbled, rolling over to curl against Dom’s side. “Just not used to such acrobatics. I’m gonna be sore in the morning.”

“That wasn’t . . . especially creative. At least not as usual,” Dom said with a chuckle.

“You try keeping your legs in the air for the better part of an hour and see how you feel,” Elijah said.

“You can be on top next time, then,” Dom said, pressing a kiss to the top of Elijah’s head.

“Mmmkay,” Elijah whispered.

Together, Dom and Elijah slept peacefully for the first time since Elijah’s accident.

*

Josh tiptoed into the house, pulling Matt by the hand.

“Are they asleep?” Matt asked.

“Should be . . .” Josh said, but he stopped short as Dom and Elijah’s bedroom door came into view. “They don’t close their door.”

“So?”

“So . . .” Josh gave him a looked and dragged him down the hall and into his room. “They were definitely having sex.”

Matt only looked mildly interested. “And that fascinates you, why?”

“Because they haven’t had sex in—okay, you’re right, I shouldn’t be this interested.” Josh fumbled for a cigarette, feeling embarrassed.

“Well, I _do_ want you to think about sex, just not with Dom and Elijah.” Matt gently took the pack of cigarettes out of Josh’s hand and pulled him down onto the bed.


	10. Blind - 10/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 10/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 1,734  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

After Elijah let his guard down, both literally and figuratively, the mood in the house was relaxed and easy-going. Josh no longer felt like an outsider, and Dom and Elijah's relationship regained its pre-accident ease. With the way the three of them were acting, it was almost as if the accident had never happened, save for Elijah's occasional use of the cane. Even that was starting to become a rare occurrence, unless he left the house. Going about his business in their rented bungalow had become almost second nature, and it eased Dom’s mind to see Elijah moving about effortlessly. Still, he couldn't hide his surprise when Elijah brought up his newest idea.

They were sitting on the beach behind the house enjoying a few beers together after Dom had all-but drowned Elijah's fair skin in sunscreen.

"I think maybe I should get a service dog." He narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses in Dom's general direction. "Don't laugh."

"It's not funny," Dom said seriously. "Actually, I think it's a great idea."

Elijah's features relaxed, but he still looked guarded. "I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I think it would really help me. I would be able to go out in public without feeling threatened by the world at large."

Dom's stomach constricted at the last sentence. He hated that Elijah, his once daringly brave boyfriend, was now too frightened to walk into town for a gallon of milk. Hopefully a service dog could re-instill some of that courage in his mind.

"Josh was helping me research it the other day. There's actually an organization on the island that helps connect people with service dogs. It's pretty complicated. First, they interview me on the phone after doing a background check and all that, and if I'm qualified, I actually get to fill out an application. Once that's approved, they'll give us a home visit to determine if we have a suitable place to keep a service dog. Then, I'll be matched with a dog and I'll have to pay the required fees."

"That sounds like adopting a child," Dom said, shaking his head.

"Doesn't it?" Elijah lit a cigarette and blew out his breath. "I just hope we don't have the deck stacked against us from the beginning."

Dom made a face. "Why would we?"

"Well, we're actors, so we don't exactly have the most stable home life. We're also celebrities, and I've never heard of anyone famous with a service dog. Oh, and we're gay."

"What the hell does being homosexual have to do with it? Elijah, this is a dog, not a child. I highly doubt they'll be worried we're going to 'turn the dog gay.'" Dom made air quotations with his fingers, even though Elijah couldn't see him.

Elijah had to laugh at that. "I guess you're right. I'm just so stressed out about this already. It's a huge decision. What if they say no after the phone interview? What if I don't even get a phone interview? What if they just see my name on the paper and assume I'm doing this for publicity or something and deny my application straight away?"

"Elijah." Dom reach out and took the beer out of Elijah's hand so he could lace their fingers together. "You are over-thinking this entirely too much. Surely, you weren't even this worked up when you sent your audition tape to Pete?"

Elijah took another drag off his cigarette. "Yeah. You're right."

"Don't let this get you down. You were finally starting to come back to me--the man I fell in love with in New Zealand. Don't let one small 'maybe' bring you down."

"Maybe I do need counseling."

"I told you I'd go with you."

Elijah made a noncommittal noise. Dom stood up and nestled his beer in the sand so it wouldn't tip over. "Come on," he said, taking the cigarette out of Elijah’s hand and sticking it in the sand next to the beer bottle. He tugged at Elijah's hand to get him to stand up.

"Where are we going?"

"For a swim," Dom replied with a grin. "It is way too hot out here to lay on the beach and complain about our lives." He pulled at the smaller man until they were in the water where Elijah could feel his way around his surroundings.

"You're right," Elijah said, leaning back to wet his hair. "Much better idea."

"Come here," Dom said softly.

Elijah waded over to the sound of Dom's voice. His hands slid over the wet skin of Dom's chest and he sighed softly. Dom's arms wrapped around Elijah, spreading cool drops of water across his skin.

"I wish every day could be like this," Elijah whispered, resting his chin on Dom's shoulder.

"Why can't it?"

Elijah didn't answer, but Dom had a feeling he knew what Elijah was thinking. "Maybe we should call Billy and go back to New Zealand for a while after I wrap filming here."

"Yeah?" Elijah said, mulling over the idea.

"Why not? We can go surfing, hiking, frequent the Wellington pubs, take a trip back out to Te Anau. It will be just like old times."

"Even with--"

"Hush," Dom said, silencing him with a kiss. You can do anything you put your mind to. No more of this 'I'm blind so I can't' rubbish."

"I've never said that," Elijah replied, rubbing a smile into Dom's neck.

"You act like it sometimes." Dom brushed a quick kiss across Elijah's lips. He gently twisted himself out of Elijah's arms and ducked down under the waves.

"Where did you go?" Elijah called when Dom resurfaced.

"Come find me!" Dom called wickedly, splashing nosily under water again.

A game of hide and seek commenced quickly with Dom splashing and swimming around Elijah as the other man fought to use his remaining senses to track Dom down. Dom was careful to keep them within a safe swimming area, lest Elijah swim too far out to reach the shore.

Eventually they collapsed on the beach, tired and still laughing. Dom tipped his beer bottle against the one Elijah held. "Good game, mate."

"Says he who held the advantage the whole time," Elijah shot back, though he was smiling.

"Hey, you caught me several times."

"Goosing me in the ribs with your dick does not count."

"Not for you. That was a point for my team."

Elijah shook his head and took a long swallow of beer. "Next time I'm blindfolding you so _I_ have the advantage."

"Bring it on, baby," Dom said, grinning wickedly.

*

Elijah insisted cooking dinner that night with only limited help from Dom. It was important to him not only that he regain his independence, but that he re-learn how to do simple tasks on his own. He couldn't reconcile hiring a cook just because Dom was going to be gone on a shoot.

They decided on something simple and easy: grilled chicken and rice with a fresh salad. Elijah would be able to practice relying on his remaining senses under Dom's watchful eye. Josh, on the other hand, opted to lounge just outside the kitchen on the porch. Since it was such a nice night, they had decided to leave the sliding glass door open. Josh's stay in Hawaii was unexpectedly extended when he landed a small part on LOST. It gave him an opportunity to build something with Matt, and allowed him a reason to stay on the island with Dom and Elijah longer.

"Smells like you're burning something!" Josh called through the open door.

For a moment, Elijah glanced in Dom's direction, but when Dom remained silent, he knew Josh was just trying to get a rise out of him. "No, that's just the smell of your brain frying!" he called back.

Josh chuckled. "Good to have you back, man."

Elijah ignored the comment. Both Josh and Dom had spoken encouragingly of Elijah's attitude change since he gave in and showed Dom his scars, but he still didn't like to talk about it. "Dom?"

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to make sure you hadn't left," Elijah said, his voice slightly unsure.

"Trust yourself, Lij. You would have heard my footsteps if I left. And I told you I'm not going to interfere unless absolutely necessary. You can do this."

Elijah nodded and let out a breath. He reached for the handle of the pot and stirred the rice. He could hear it beginning to sizzle in the bottom of the pan, and knew it should be close to done. Praying that it wasn't still raw, the leaned farther over the stove and ran his fingertips over the dials until he found the correct one and switched it off.

Since the salad was done, all he had to do was finish the chicken. It smelled good, and since it didn't seem to be sticking to the pan anymore, he figured he could flip it. Biting his lip, he tucked the spatula under the first piece and flipped it over with painstakingly slow movements. It grew easier with the other pieces.

"Okay," Elijah said, stepping back from the heat of the stove. He turned back to Dom. "I'm really sorry if that ends up burnt."

"Does it smell burnt?" Dom asked.

Elijah turned back to the stove and inhaled deeply. "Not yet," he replied with a grin.

When Elijah deemed the chicken done, he moved it to a plate and set the Dom. Dom offered to help, but Elijah insisted he could, at the very least, set the table without help. Josh strolled in from the porch and they sat down to dinner together.

Elijah made a point to fiddle with his chicken long enough to let Josh and Dom dig in first. "Well?" he asked tentatively.

"It's not the worst chicken I've ever had," Josh offered. At the look on Elijah's face, he quit poking fun at his friend. "I'm kidding. It's actually really good. I'm impressed. I didn't know you could cook at all."

"Oh, fuck you," Elijah said, grinning.

"It is really good," Dom agreed.

Satisfied, Elijah sat back to enjoy his own meal. To his taste, the chicken _was_ a little overdone, but it was nice sharing a meal together, especially one he'd cooked himself. It was more than time for his life to get back to normal.


	11. Blind - 11/?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.

Title: Blind - 11/?  
Author: [](http://moit.livejournal.com/profile)[**moit**](http://moit.livejournal.com/)  
Pairing: Domlijah  
Fandom: Lord of the Rings RPF  
Rating: R  
Genre: Drama  
Warnings: Slash  
Summary: After a horrific accident, Elijah is blinded. Dom is left to pick up the pieces of their broken life.  
Word Count: 2,137  
Previous Chapters [here](http://moit-fics.livejournal.com/tag/lotrips%3A%20blind)

The process for procuring a service dog was much more arduous than Elijah had initially anticipated. The first thing he had to do was fill out an application and include a letter detailing his handicap and need.

"'I'm Elijah Wood--surely you remember hearing about the accident that blinded me? Yeah, that's why I need help.' This is fucking stupid."

"You never know, they might not have heard of you. I mean, it's not like you're a household name," Josh provided helpfully.

"Shut the fuck up. I am so."

Josh's laughter was his only reply. The pair was sitting on the back deck of Elijah and Dom's rented beach house under the shade of the table umbrella while Elijah filled out his application on the computer. The speech recognition software Dom had loaded for him allowed him to continue using his computer, which gave him a sense of independence. Since Dom was at the studio, Elijah and Josh were enjoying some time alone.

"Completely off topic, but the producers have been talking about writing my character into LOST permanently. Well, unless he gets killed, or something."

"Really?" Elijah's face lifted from behind the screen of his laptop. "So you're finally going to move out and give Dom and me some peace?"

"Nope. They're giving me a part, but the budget is tight, so I'll have to keep shacking up with you guys."

"I really don't mind having you here," Elijah said sincerely.

"I know that."

For the next several minutes, the only sound that passed between them was that of Elijah's fingers on the keys, the slight hum of the voice in his ear, and the waves crashing gently against the beach.

"Okay, how's this: 'I am Elijah Wood, a 23-year-old actor who was blinded in an accident earlier this year. Currently, I am living in Hawaii with my,'" he paused. "Should I say boyfriend?"

"Well, it would be lying to call Dom your friend," Josh reasoned. "And they are doing a home visit, right? They'll figure it out. Hell, they might already know. Then you could be in some deep shit for lying about your personal life and you'll be fucked out of the process all together. I say just tell them."

"Okay." Elijah clacked on the keys some more. "'I am currently living in Hawaii with my boyfriend, Dominic Monaghan, who is working on the ABC show, LOST. Because Dominic and I spend so much time apart due to our busy schedules,'" here he snorted, "'I find it would be helpful to have a service dog at my side to allow me the freedom to walk out in public alone.' What do you think?"

"I think you had problems walking around in public before the accident. Maybe you should just hire a body guard?"

Elijah made a noise of disapproval. "If I wasn't going to do that before, it just makes me look weak now. The last thing I want to look like is an easy mark."

"So you'd rather just get stuffed in the trunk of a car, instead?"

"Josh, be serious!"

"I am!" Josh huffed out a breath. "You may not be an A-lister like Brad Pitt, but you're definitely noticed, _Frodo_. I'm not trying to piss in your Wheaties, but you do realize that I worry about you. Getting a service dog isn't going to mean that it's any safer for you to go out in public alone now than it was before."

"Fine. I'll change it." Elijah pursed his lips into a thin line.

"Maybe you should hire a personal assistant," Josh tried again. "In addition to the service dog, I mean."

"Wouldn't that be a bit overkill?" Elijah sighed and closed the lid on his laptop. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

"I never said that."

"I never said you did." Elijah stood up from the table and walked into the house. He returned with a cold beer and sat back down.

"Let's go over this, then. Pros and cons of getting a dog. Pro: the dog is with me 24/7."

"Con: the dog can't call Dom if something happens to you."

"Pro: the dog can still find a way to get help."

"I'll give you that one."

"Con," Elijah continued, "It _doesn't_ make it any safer for me to go out in public alone."

"But the pro is that people will probably be less likely to approach you."

"I don't really know if that's a pro," Elijah frowned. "One of the things I've always been known for is my approachability. I don't want my fans to think I've suddenly become standoffish."

"Which would be a pro for a personal assistant. He or she could stand there while you talk to fans to run interference. Nobody's going to stuff you into a trunk with your assistant standing there."

"Can you stop with the 'trunk-stuffing' references? Please?"

"I'm totally serious about that."

"I know, which is why it's really starting to bug me. Do you think I haven't thought about that myself? I'm not exactly a huge guy. I'm sure nobody would think about stuffing _you_ in a trunk."

"Eh, it doesn't stop me from worrying. It could still happen."

"I think someone would have to be the Incredible Hulk to stuff you in a trunk."

"Not if they had a gun," Josh reasoned.

"Well, a personal assistant isn't going to protect me from that."

"Point," Josh agreed, nodding.

Elijah took a long swig of his beer. "I think I'll just wait and talk to Dom about this tonight."

*

Dom got home later than usual because he had to run lines with Jorge. Matt had stopped by to pick Josh up about an hour earlier, so Elijah was left to his own devices. He managed to make a passable dinner without Dom's help and was just setting the table as the front door opened. He felt rather pleased with himself.

"Lij?" Dom called out.

"In the kitchen!" Elijah replied.

"Something smells good," Dom commented as he walked in to the room.

Elijah caught him around the waist and gave him a kiss. "Hey, baby. How was work?"

"Long," Dom sighed, sitting down at the table. "I would have been home earlier, but Jorge wanted to run lines, and I couldn't exactly tell him 'no.'"

"I figured as much. Matt picked Josh up about an hour ago."

"So we've got the house to ourselves?" Dom asked, trying to put as much innuendo into his voice as possible since Elijah couldn't see his expression.

"We do," Elijah said slowly, allowing a grin to spread across his face.

"And that means that dessert is in order, yes?" Dom smirked.

"If you eat all your dinner like a good boy," Elijah replied, setting a bowl of salad down on the table. He took a seat across from Dom. "There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yeah?" Dom asked, his brows knitting in concern.

Elijah waited until they had tucked into their dinner before broaching the subject of getting a service dog. "I was talking to Josh earlier while I was filling out my application for a service dog."

"Mmm?" Dom said around his mouthful.

"He was playing devil's advocate and just sort of throwing possibilities around, about me getting or not getting a service dog. He said that I might be better off hiring a personal assistant, and I wanted to see what you thought."

Dom chewed his mouthful slowly and swallowed a drink of water. "I'm really all for whatever you want to do. I just never really thought about the possibility or the effect of hiring a personal assistant. I've obviously never had one myself. Have you?"

Elijah made a face. "I sort of had a personal assistant when I was growing up. She was more like a nanny to make sure that I ate my vegetables, didn't stay up to late, and met with my tutor regularly when my mom wasn't around. I wouldn't really call her a 'personal assistant,' though."

"What do you think, then? Is this something you'd be interested in doing? You don't sound like you're really in to the idea."

"It's not that, it's just that I sort of had my heart set on getting a service dog."

"So then get a service dog."

Elijah was quiet for a moment while he ate his dinner. "Josh reminded me of the limitations of a service dog. Like, what happens if I'm out in public and someone attacks me? Or something? The dog can't help me then."

"Elijah," Dom sighed, setting down his knife and fork. "If you really want a service dog, love, we'll get one. This isn't about what Josh thinks or what I want. If you're afraid to go out in public with the dog, you can wait for me to be home, or call someone to go with you. If you want a personal assistant, too, we can hire one. It's not like we can't afford it."

This brought a small smile to Elijah's face. "I knew you'd make me feel better about this whole thing."

"Well, what else am I good for?" Dom replied, and Elijah could hear the smile in his voice.

"Oh, I could think of a few things," Elijah replied, his voice going low. "Are you done eating?"

"I am now," Dom said, standing up.

Elijah stood up as well, the legs of his chair scraping across the floor in his haste. He walked around the table, took Dom by the hand, and led him into the living room.

They settled on the couch with Elijah straddling Dom's lap. "I really hope Josh doesn't walk in because I don't feel like waiting until we get to the bedroom," Elijah breathed hotly against Dom's neck.

"Fuck him, if he does," Dom sighed, sinking his hands down into the back of Elijah's jeans. He gasped in surprise when his hands met nothing but bare skin. "Did you plan this?"

"Not exactly," Elijah smirked, inching his t-shirt up his chest. "I took a shower earlier and just threw on a pair of jeans. Mostly, I just didn't feel like putting any boxers on, but it worked out, apparently."

"Apparently." Dom helped Elijah work his shirt up over his head and tossed it to the floor. But when he went for his own shirt, Elijah's hands on his own stilled him. "Don't. I want you to keep your clothes on this time."

Dom's cock stirred in interest at Elijah's words. He watched as Elijah hopped off his lap, shed his own jeans and returned with a tube of lube that had so thoughtfully be left on the end table. "Did you know that was there?"

"Of course," Elijah grinned cheekily. "I put it there earlier. I may not have planned to go commando, but I definitely planned to have couch sex with you."

"Fuck," Dom hissed, lifting his hips off the couch as Elijah unzipped his jeans and pulled out his half-hard cock. His mouth was like hot velvet as it slipped over Dom's length. It didn't last long, just long enough to get him wet.

"I don't think we've christened the couch yet, have we?" Elijah asked, hovering over Dom's body so he could work two fingers into himself.

"Definitely not." Dom's voice stuttered as he watched Elijah prep himself. He slid his palms down Elijah's sides, not wanting to interfere, but anxious to proceed.

"You ready?" Elijah asked, smearing his lips against Dom's in a heated kiss, enjoying the feel of the Brit's scruffy beard against his face.

"Absolutely, yes," Dom sighed as Elijah took his cock in hand, coated him slick and slid down in one practiced motion.

"Fuck, I needed this," Elijah sighed, holding onto the back of Dom's neck for leverage as he worked himself up and down.

"You're beautiful," Dom sighed, savoring the sight of his boyfriend's lithe form arching in pleasure. Elijah's hand wrapped around his own cock, pulling in time with the motion of his hips.

"Not--gonna--last," he panted.

Dom smoothed a hand through his damp hair and kissed his temple. "Let go, love."

Dom's words were Elijah's undoing because a moment later he stilled and gave a soft sigh. Mouth open in pleasure, he spilled over his fist and Dom's belly.

When Elijah had recovered somewhat, Dom lifted him from under his knees and laid him down on his back against the smooth surface of the couch. He took his time making love to Elijah, pressing kisses against his face and neck. When Dom came, Elijah's name was on his lips.

They managed to untangle themselves and retire to their bedroom before Josh and Matt returned. Despite the late dinner, it was still an early night, but neither of them cared.


End file.
